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Monday, May 21, 2007

Status of key criminal justice legislation

As always, the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition is a vital source of information about criminal justice policy and legislation, so I thought I'd pass on to readers their email summary of the status of several key bills they're following aimed at improving safety and accountability and reducing recidivism and technical revocations to prison:

Approved by the Governor on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - effective immediately!

SB 1580 by Senator Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), and carried by Representatives Haggerty (R-El Paso), Hodge (D-Dallas), and Madden (R-Plano) - which will strengthen families by providing pay telephone services to inmates confined in facilities operated by TDCJ - was filed by the Governor on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, and will become effective immediately!

HB 770 by Representatives Dutton (D-Houston) and Guillen (D-Roma), and carried by Senator Lucio (D-Brownsville) in the Senate - which increases civic participation to encourage responsible living - was sent to the Governor's desk on Monday, May 14, 2007!

SB 453 by Senator Ellis (D-Houston) and carried by Representatives Davis (D-Dallas) and Coleman (D-Houston) in the House - relating to the testing of certain inmates for HIV or AIDS - was sent to the Governor's desk on Tuesday, May 15, 2007!

SB 166 by Senator West (D-Dallas), and carried by Representative Madden (R-Plano) in the House - which implements progressive sanctions: a safe, cost-effective way to reduce the number of probation revocations to prison - passed the House (Vote: Y: 143/N: 1) on Wednesday, May 16, 2007! This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 1178 by Representatives Escobar (D-Kingsville) and McClendon (D-San Antonio), and carried by Senator Ellis (D-Houston) in the Senate - which ensures that defendants facing jail time understand that they have a right to a lawyer in criminal cases - passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) on Thursday, May 17, 2007!This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 530 by Representatives Madden (R-Plano), Rodriguez (D-Austin), Peña (D-Edinburg), Hodge (D-Dallas), and Woolley (R-Houston), and carried by Senator Seliger (R-Amarillo) in the Senate-which reduces recidivism and costs through drug courts- passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) on Thursday, May 17, 2007!This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 312 by Representative Turner (D-Houston), and carried by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston) in the Senate - which prevents indigent individuals from being unjustly revoked from probation for being unable to pay their fees - passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) on Thursday, May 17, 2007!This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 1610 by Representative Madden (R-Plano), and carried by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston) in the Senate - relating to the requirement that a judge release on community supervision certain defendants convicted of certain state jail felonies - passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 30/N: 1) on Thursday, May 17, 2007!This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 2611 by Representative Madden (R-Plano), and carried by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston) in the Senate - which expands the allowance of medically supervised release to include certain offenders who no longer pose a threat to society to financially relive the state - passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) on Thursday, May 17, 2007! This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

HB 921 by Representative Delisi (R-Temple), and carried by Senator Ellis (D-Houston) in the Senate - which establishes an interagency information sharing pilot program and creates the Texas Health Care Policy Council (council) - passed the Senate (Vote: Y: 31/N: 0) on Thursday, May 17, 2007!This bill will now be making its way to the Governor's desk!

SB 909 by Whitmire (D-Houston), and carried by Representatives Madden (R-Plano), Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), Flynn (R-Canton), Hochberg (D-Houston), Cook (R-Austin) - relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee and to the functions of the Board of Pardons and Paroles - has been set on the House Calendar for Monday, May 21, 2007! (UPDATE: Passed with amendments on second reading!)

SB 1750 by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston), and carried by Representative Turner (D-Houston) in the House, - which would allow for the provisional licensures of individuals convicted of non-violent, non-sex related felonies - has been set on the House Calendar for Monday, May 21, 2007!

SB 838 by Senator Whitmire (D-Houston), and carried by Representative Turner (D-Houston) in the House, - relating to assisting former offenders who are re-integrating into society - has been set on the House Calendar for Tuesday, May 22, 2007!

SB 1909 by Senators Ellis (D-Houston), Carona (R-Dallas), Deuell (R-Greenville), and carried by Representative Madden (R-Plano) in the House - which will provide smart, tailored treatment for non-dangerous drug-possession offenders - has been set on the House Calendar for Tuesday, May 22, 2007!

3 comments:

I hadn't noticed HB 312 before, but what a great bill! I know it costs lots of $$$s to keep people in prison and run the probation and parol service, but linking freedom to the ability to pay is a rediculus idea.

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